Maharashtra Ends Compulsory MBBS Service

As of July 23, 2026, the Maharashtra government has officially ended its compulsory one-year social obligatory service for MBBS graduates from state-run and aided medical colleges. This significant policy shift, announced via a government resolution, also covers scholarship students in private institutions.

The discontinuation of the MBBS bond service stems from an increased number of medical graduates annually, outpacing the limited available service posts. This imbalance created prolonged waiting periods for postings, preventing many students from pursuing postgraduate studies even after qualifying.

Students already undergoing their bond service must complete the remaining period. However, those eligible but not yet posted are now exempt. The government has directed the Medical Education Department to cease new postings and close the online portal for the service.

While some medical professionals, like Dr. Avinash Supe, believe this will attract more students to Maharashtra's medical colleges, others, such as medical activist Dr. Abhay Shukla, deem it a step backward. Critics point to over 1,500 vacant posts in government medical colleges and 1,600 in Public Health Centres, urging for improved placement systems and healthcare infrastructure rather than service cancellation.